Angel Olsen’s Cosmic Waves, Volume 1 is a collaboration album, not a solo statement. That distinction shapes everything about it. Olsen assembled a collection of songs from other artists, then performed them herself, and the result is a record that sounds less like a personal statement and more like a series of guest spots she has curated. It is a strange and often compelling way to make music, and it mostly works.
Opening With Glamorous
The album opens with “Glamorous,” a track originally by Poppy Jean Crawford. Olsen’s version is the spirited, goth grunge of Crawford’s original, and it sets a tone of theatrical, dark energy that carries through the first half of the record. It is a strong opener, and it earns its place.
Blood And Ride
“Blood” follows, a heavier, more aggressive track that leans into its title’s tension. It is competent but unremarkable, a transitional piece rather than a destination. Then comes “Ride,” the standout performance from Sarah Grace White. The song’s slow-burning intensity is a heavy-lidded romance, and that description captures the track’s mood perfectly. Olsen’s version is the definitive take here, and it is one of the best things on the album.
The Middle Stretch
“Make Believe You Love Me” is a moody, atmospheric track that does not quite reach the heights of the surrounding songs. It is pleasant but forgettable. “Wonder Now” continues the trend, a mid-tempo rocker that is solid without being essential. Neither track is bad, but neither leaves much of an impression.
“The Takeover” picks the pace back up, a driving, urgent song that feels like a mission statement after the album’s early drift. It is one of the stronger tracks in the middle stretch, and it shows Olsen at her most commanding.
Swimming And Sinkhole
“Swimming” is a brief, breezy interlude, barely over two and a half minutes, and it functions as a palate cleanser rather than a statement. “Sinkhole” is the emotional core of the second half. It is a slow-burner with real weight, and it is one of the album’s best moments.
Born Too Blue
“Born Too Blue” closes the record with Olsen’s own version of the song. The album’s description of the track calls it “easy classicism,” and that description fits. It is a warm, melodic closer that sums up the album’s strengths: Olsen’s voice, given room to breathe over a simple arrangement. It is a standout, and it ends the record on a high note.
Farfisa Song
“Farfisa Song” is the final track, a brief instrumental coda that feels like a sigh rather than a conclusion. It is a gentle, atmospheric close, but it does not leave the listener with much to hold onto.
What Works, What Doesn’t
The album succeeds most when it preserves the individuality of its contributors. Crawford’s “Glamorous” and White’s “Ride” feel like originals rather than covers, and Olsen’s versions of “Born Too Blue” and “Sinkhole” are definitive takes. The lesser tracks — “Make Believe You Love Me,” “Wonder Now,” “Swimming” — are serviceable but forgettable, and they drag the record down in stretches.
The Verdict
Cosmic Waves, Volume 1 is a mixed bag, but its highs are high enough to justify the listen. The standout tracks are genuinely excellent, and Olsen’s curatorial instincts pay off more often than not. It is not a perfect record, but it is a rewarding one.
Key Facts
– Artist: Angel Olsen
– Release: 2024
– Format: Album
– Tracks: 10
– Total runtime: 41 minutes
Verdict: 7 of 10.
- Glamorous4:42
- Blood4:36
- Ride4:07
- Make Believe You Love Me4:01
- Wonder Now4:39
- The Takeover3:50
- Swimming2:38
- Sinkhole4:03
- Born Too Blue5:11
- Farfisa Song4:01
